This blog is devoted to evaluating vulnerable Democratic candidates, political news, law and current affairs. Author is a Political consultant specializing in opposition research for conservative candidates, attorneys and PACS at the local, state, and federal level.
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― Patrick Henry

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Sunday, June 24, 2012

New Book: An American Son by Marco Rubio

Book Description

Publication Date: June 19, 2012

Few politicians have risen to national prominence
as quickly as Marco Rubio. At age forty-one he’s the subject of
widespread interest and speculation. But he has never before told the
full story of his unlikely journey, with all the twists and turns that
made him an American son.
That journey began when his parents
first left Cuba in 1956. After Fidel Castro solidified his Communist
grip on power, Mario and Oria Rubio could never again return to their
homeland. But they embraced their new country and taught their children
to appreciate its unique opportunities. Every sacrifice they made over
the years, as they worked hard at blue-collar jobs in Miami and Las
Vegas, was for their children.
As a boy, Rubio spent countless
hours with his grandfather, discussing history and current events.
“Papa” loved being Cuban, but he also loved America for being a beacon
of liberty to oppressed people around the world. As Rubio puts it, “My
grandfather didn’t know America was exceptional because he read about it
in a book. He lived it and saw it with his own eyes.”

Devastated
after his grandfather’s death, Rubio was getting poor grades and
struggled to fit in at his high school, where some classmates mocked him
as “too American.” But then he buckled down for college
and law school, driven by his twin passions for football and politics.
He played football at a small college in Mis­souri, then came back to
Florida to attend Santa Fe Community College and the University of
Florida. He went on to earn his law degree from the University of Miami and took a job at a law firm, which paid him a handsome salary that allowed his father to retire.

As
a young attorney he ran for the West Miami City Commission, a role that
led to the Florida House of Representatives. In just six years he rose
to Speaker of the House and became a leading advocate for free
enter­prise, better schools,
limited government, and a fairer, simpler tax system. He found that he
could connect with people across party lines while still upholding
conserva­tive values.

His U.S. Senate campaign started as an
extreme long shot against Florida’s popular incumbent governor, Charlie
Crist. Undaunted by the early poll numbers and the time away from his
wife and kids, Rubio traveled the state with his message of empowerment
and optimism. He upset Crist in both the primary and a dramatic
three-way general election, after Crist quit the GOP to run as an
independent.

Now Rubio speaks on the national stage about the
challenges we face and the better future that’s possible if we return to
our founding principles. As he puts it, “Conservatism is not about
leaving people behind. Con­servatism is about allowing people to catch
up.”

In that vision, as in his family’s story, Rubio proves that the American Dream is still alive for those who pur­sue it.

Quotes

"If it's smart to look at the Carfax history of a used car before buying it, why should anyone object to discovering the history of politicians before electing them to serve you?" Stephen Marks

"I believe that public office is the noblest of professions, but I also believe we must hold public officials accountable. Exposing the full truth about them-the good and the bad-ultimately makes for better-educated voters and a stronger democracy." Stephen Marks in Politics Magazine.